The mysterious case of the c. elegans gut granule: Death anthranilic acid and the kynurenine pathway

Abstract

Gut granules are lysosome-like organelles with acidic interiors that are found in large numbers within the Caenorhabditis elegans. They are particularly prominent when viewed under ultraviolet light, which causes fluorescence. Yet the function of these large and abundant organelles in this heavily-studied model possibility is that they serve as storage organelles, for example of zinc. A new clue to gut granule function is blue fluorescent material that they contain as a glycosylated form of anthranilic acid, which is derived from the kynurenine pathway. This compound can also serve a surprising role as a natural, endogenous. © 2013 Coburn and Gems.